The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of plum tree, which will hereinafter be denominated varietally as the "Showtime" plum tree, and more particularly to a plum tree which produces fruit which are mature for commercial harvesting and shipment approximately contemporaneously with the "Santa Rosa" plum tree (unpatented), or about June 18 to about June 25 in the San Joaquin Valley of central California, and which further is distinguished principally as to novelty by producing uniformly larger fruit which have redder flesh than that of the "Santa Rosa" plum tree, a red to purple skin coloration, and which can hold on the tree and stay firm to a significantly higher level of maturity.
The "Santa Rosa" plum tree has been one of the most commercially successful varieties of plum tree over many decades producing large fruit having pleasingly colored and flavorful flesh ripening for harvest approximately June 18 in the San Joaquin Valley of central California. There have been many commercially successful progeny of the "Santa Rosa" plum tree, but the "Santa Rosa" plum tree remains in many respects the standard by which other varieties are judged.
However, the "Santa Rosa" plum tree has some traits which are less than desirable. For example, the "Santa Rosa" plum tree is frequently characterized by premature fruit drop which makes harvesting a particularly critical operation and, of course, reduces the volume of the crop which can successfully be harvested.
The "Showtime" plum tree of the present invention possesses many of the same attractive characteristics of the "Santa Rosa" plum tree producing fruit of red to purple skin coloration ripening for harvest approximately June 18 to June 25. However, the fruit of the instant variety is uniformly larger and has flesh of a consistently redder coloration. It is further distinguished from the "Santa Rosa" plum tree in that the fruit of the "Showtime" plum tree consistently holds on the tree and remains firm considerably longer than that of the "Santa Rosa" plum tree.